Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-09
ASSOCIATION.
LEAGUE.
BICYCLISTS AND Pedestrian.
The Capital Club Committee Submit n
Formal Argument Against Lamps and
Bells.

The committee from the Capital Bicycle Club
that called upon the District Commissioners last
Tuesday to-day submitted to the Commissioners
In writing statement Of the points urged by the
committee with reference to the police regula-
lions concerning the of bicycles and tricycles
upon the streets OF the city. The regulations re-
ferred to are article IN, section l. which provide
that bicycles and tricycleS shall
sound a light bell or gong when in motion after
shutdown, and at all times when necessary to warn
persons Of their approach" and article ", section
s. which provides that 'all bicycles and tricycles
In motion after shutdown shall display a suitable
light, and also have O light gong or bell so at
tached thereto as to be sounded by the revolution
OF a wheel or wheels" The committee In their
communication say: 'We understand that these
rules are intended TO promote the safety OF pedeS
TRANS and 10 avoid the liability OF collision be-
tween them and riders of bicycles and tricycles:
and we desire TO assure you that In any measures
which Will accomplish that desirable result you
will have the sincere and hearty cooperation OF
this club 1t IS therefore in spirit OF antagOniSm
that we desire 10 point out wherein the proposed
equations are ineffective, and In some particu-
lars tend to cause what they purport to prevent {"
The communication then refers TO the abandon
ment OF bells and lamps by the club several years
ago, after q thorough trial, because they wholly
failed to accomplish the desired purpose; sets
forth the fact that the vast majority OF wheelmen
are for the sake of their own safety obliged to
for the safety OF pedestrians and suggests that
accidents caused by reckless riding cannot be pre-
vented by either the bell or lamp What Is needed
In such cases IS instant arrest, and good round
nre In case sufficient degree of carelesSness or
recklessness is proved The letter goes on TO say:
"Our experience as practical wheelmen has Demon
strated 10 us that we can ride with greater safety
TO ourselves (and consequently TO the pubic) when
As We near sncS a nerson We inst,ncttvetH mate
provision for passing him at q safe distance,
which every wheelman becomes very expert in
Calculating; but all such calculations are of no
avail II the pedestrian, in the condition OF panic
CAUSED by the sharp ring OF gong, or the sudden
fash OF bulls-eye commences to take his own un-
certain nntpcfSiyp ~
may consider an imminent danger. We desire to
assure your honorS that we are acting simply in
our own interests, and from regard 10 our own
safety, when we say that the bell, conScientiously
used, will cause more accidents than it will pre-.
vent.
"As to the lamp, the only lamps now manufac-
tured for wheel purposes have plain glass bulls
eye In front, reflector behind, and colored side
and rear glasses. The glare OF the light itself
the magnified shadow OF the wheel rim, and the
uncertainty caused by the swaytng OF the SuS-
pended lamp make It difficult TO see beyond a few
feet, and hence on the toughest country roads,
when forced TO ride at night, We discard lamps
entirely. Conversely the pedestrian who sees the
bulls-eye light approaching can see neither the
wheel nor its rider, and finds IT impossible to
calculate the rate of its movement. The lamp
thus accomplisheS the double result OF preventing
the wheelman from seeing the walker, and OF pre-
venting the latter from gauging the wheelman'S
on the foot passenEer Of aVo1ns danger Wbose
inminence he cannot calculate; and this state Of
affairs is an actual danger TO both rider ana pedes
TRAN" The committee point out antiquities In
the regulations which they believe will
cause misunderstanding to whether a
continuously sounding bell or bell to be
rung at the Will OF the rider, is required,
or both "This is strongly illustrated" the letter
says, by an incident which has occurred since
the publication OF the regulation. A member OF
this club, In attempting TO pass vehicle, was
deliberately run into and thrown down and his
wheel badly injured, and the response OF the
driver 10 his remonStrance was that he Uhe
driven considered that he had a perfect right to
run into him because he did not sound a bell, as
required by the police regulations, and added that
he should do the same thing whenever he got an
opportunity We cite this in order TO show what
the popular impression may be, after the rules
enforced, and no amount OF argument can make
the matter palmer" They petition the Commits
slonerS 10 strike out all mention OF bicycles and
trieycies from the paragraphs quoted above, and
Instead 70 Include them specifically in Section OF
Article y, which now relates only TO vehicles
drawn by a horse or horses